Midfielder Cole Skuse has signed a new contract which will keep him at Portman Road until the end of June 2020 with the club having an option for a further season.

The 31-year-old’s current terms were up in the summer, although with a similar option also having been included in that deal.

“I’m delighted to have got it done,” Skuse told iFollow Ipswich. “I’d be lying if I said I haven’t been thinking about it because I’ve got a family to look after. I’ve got kids at school and things like that.

“I’m not one to be badgering the hierarchy at the club and the manager though. I have just got my head down and concentrated on my football and it’s that that reflects on a deal being done really.”

Looking further ahead, the Bristolian says he plans to get involved in youth coaching at Playford Road.

“Things can change in football but if I could finish my career here and then go down a different path of working at the club, maybe as a coach that would be great,” he added.

“I have spoken to Bryan Klug and he said they’d love for me to do some work with the academy. So if that is a route I go down, I’d love to do that here.”

Skuse has made 194 starts and one sub appearances for the Blues, scoring two goals, having signed on a free transfer from hometown club Bristol City in the summer of 2013.

🎥 | Cole Skuse spoke with iFollow Ipswich after singing his new deal as he admits he could see himself staying at Town for the remainder of his playing career and beyond...#itfc 🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/W68hYllrsX

Play Football, Lose WeightIpswich places available now. Save 50% of your registration fee by clicking here, and we'll donate £5 to Prostate Cancer UK. Read more in our blog about how it works and how 95% of members lose weight.

Photos: TWTD/ITFC

Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.

Good news. IMO Skuse is a good player who does his job well, I think the problem is who he's paired alongside in the middle. If any of Bishop/Adeyemi/Huws had played more this season I think our midfield would've had a much better balance to it.

I think this is a very good extension Cole is extremely good at the job he does for the team also a great interceptor of the ball we all know he's not going to get forward and score you 10 goals season but there is so many childish people on here that really should keep there commects to there self as there knowledge of football is about as big as a pea

Good news, I think Cole deserves it. He has been the best player in the defensive midfield role and it is not his fault he was paired with the likes of Douglas and Hyam in the past. Connolly has been a much better partner of late due to his forward runs and goals, although he is only on loan of course.

Surprised he has a longer term deal. Still decent, but gradually his form has decreased since the play off season. Can do a job still but injury record also not as good. If a new manager was coming in I’d be surprised if Skuse would be a natural selection.

If and it's a big if McCarthy stays he'll be almost guaranteed a start for the next season, Skuse does the basics ok but in my mind hasn't got the range of passing to create anything. We need a holding midfielder in our squad to start pressuring him for his place, maybe Flynn Downes?

Absolutely brilliant news. Read a couple of weeks ago that he has the highest pass interception rate for any player in any major European league. May not be that great at forward passing although that has improved since being freed from looking after Douglas, but just watch how many opposition attacks he breaks up. His last 2 injuries have been caused by him putting his body where it shouldn't have been for the sake of the team. Top, top man.

I'm surprised it's not 10 years : it would take him that long to contribute anything positive to the team. He is McCarthy's man on the pitch, ensuring that any attempt to play attacking football is stifled at birth. Awful.

Skuse is a very good player at this level, in terms of he does what he does very well. He can't be blamed for the fact that Mick has often chosen to play him alongside a second holding player, that is the reason our midfield is so turgid. If you need a holding player you won't find too many better at this level. He's a good leader and a model pro too, pleased we've got him signed up. I just hope we have a new manager next season who will play some more forward-thinking midfielders alongside him.